At Unilife, our mission is to give students the best chance of academic and personal success by creating exceptional living environments that promote comfort, community, and growth. We achieve this by providing high quality, thoughtfully designed accommodation with premium amenities and attentive service, ensuring a a friendly student community. Our luxury student accommodation offers a modern and supportive space where students can thrive in both their studies and personal life.
Creating wow moments in every interaction
We care about our people and our communities
Creating warm, safe and welcoming environments
Growing together and empowering our people
Proactively looking for opportunities to make a real difference
Chief Operating Officer
Richard oversees operations across all Unilife sites, ensuring the student experience is at the heart of everything we do. With a hands-on approach, he’s regularly based in our buildings, always available to support residents and create a welcoming, high-quality living environment.
Bringing extensive hospitality experience, Richard has dedicated his career to creating exceptional living experiences. Before joining Unilife in 2023, he spent over two decades leading operations in hotels and high-end retirement villages. His deep understanding of premium service and attention to detail has been instrumental in shaping Unilife’s approach to high-quality student living.
Passionate about service excellence, he continually drives innovation and operational improvements, ensuring students feel supported and at home. Outside of work, Richard is a dedicated family man. He and his wife Nicola have three daughters—Morgan, Amber, and Josie—who keep him on his toes. Living on the edge of the New Forest, he enjoys walking his dogs and making the most of family life.
Operations Manager
Ben is the Operations Manager at Unilife, making sure everything runs smoothly across all our buildings. He’s passionate about creating spaces where students feel comfortable and supported, working closely with the onsite teams to keep everything to a high standard.
With a hands-on approach, Ben is always looking for ways to improve the student experience, whether that’s through better facilities, smarter processes, or just making day-to-day life that little bit easier.
Outside of work, you will find Ben cheering on his local football club, Eastleigh FC.
Sales and Marketing Manager
Alex is the Sales and Marketing Manager at Unilife, where he drives global partnerships and oversees all sales and marketing initiatives. With a deep passion for student living, Alex is dedicated to enhancing the student experience by creating personal connections and continuously seeking innovative ways to improve their academic journey.
He leads the team in showcasing Unilife’s offerings, ensuring a seamless process from initial enquiry to move in day. His commitment to student satisfaction is at the heart of his approach.
Outside of work, Alex is a keen runner and a supporter of Stevenage FC (someone has too!).
City Manager
Mike is the City Manager at Unilife, creating a community in Guildford where students feel at home.
He is passionate about making sure every student flourishes throughout their stay with us at Unilife. Whether it’s a friendly chat or ensuring everything runs smoothly, Mike is always on hand to help.
Outside of work, he’s a big football fan and runs his own podcast channel dedicated to Canadian football.
Facilities Manager
Marius is the Facilities Manager at Unilife and has been part of the team for over 12 years!
He’s the go-to guy for keeping all our buildings operational, making sure everything runs smoothly behind the scenes. With his wealth of experience in the business, Marius has experienced it all at Unilife!
Outside of work, he enjoys playing five-a-side football and heading out on fishing trips.
Marketing Executive
Lewis is the Marketing Executive at Unilife, making sure our marketing strategies and campaigns reach the right audience.
From social media to digital campaigns, he focuses on showcasing what makes Unilife special, ensuring students get a real sense of the community before they move in. With a data-driven approach, he continuously analyses performance to refine strategies and keep our marketing engaging and relevant.
Sales Executive
Ella is the Sales Executive at Unilife, dedicated to delivering the best student booking experience.
She works across all our properties, ensuring quick and helpful responses, always aiming to reply within an hour during her working day. With a friendly and efficient approach, she helps make the booking process as smooth as possible.
Outside of work, Ella enjoys playing cricket or heading out for a run.
House Supervisor
Dom is the one who creates the atmosphere at Sparkford House.
He supports students by helping them create memorable experiences and assisting with anything you might need, whether it’s accommodation issues, events, or just a friendly chat. With his approachable nature, he helps make Sparkford House feel like home.
Outside of work, Dom loves watching football and is a dedicated follower of Stoke City FC.
JuanFran is the life and soul of Bargate House, bringing fun and passion to every interaction with our students.
He oversees the day-to-day operations in the building, making sure everything runs smoothly and that residents feel supported. With his friendly and energetic approach, he helps create a welcoming environment for everyone.
Outside of work, JuanFran enjoys playing Pokémon and spending time on his Nintendo Switch.
Gabi creates an award-winning community at Unilife High Street.
She is always on-hand to support students, whether it is for a friendly chat, hosting events, or being available on WhatsApp and WeChat for support. She is dedicated to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment, she makes sure High Street feels like home for everyone.
Outside of work, Gabi enjoys working out in the Gym.
Maintenance Operative
Alberto is one of our Maintenance Technicians at Unilife and has been part of the team for over six years.
With a deep understanding of our buildings, he’s always on hand to resolve maintenance issues and ensure everything runs smoothly for our students. Friendly and reliable, he takes pride in keeping Unilife’s spaces in top condition.
Outside of work, Alberto loves spending time with his family and traveling to Spain to visit them.
Alfie is one of our Maintenance Technicians at Unilife, joining the team in 2024.
He plays a key role in keeping our buildings running smoothly, always ready to assist with any maintenance issues and ensure everything is in perfect condition for our students. Alfie is a great personality around our properties and builds fantastic rapport with our Unilife students.
Outside of work, Alfie is a big animal lover with a particular interest in reptiles and fish.
Martyn is one of our Maintenance Technicians at Unilife Riverside house, making sure the property remains in great condition.
Whether it is dealing with student maintenance tickets, maintaining the building, or general upkeep, he is dedicated to ensuring that every student has a convenient lifestyle. He takes pride in maintaining a safe and comfortable environment for students, always approaching his work with care and attention to detail.
We partner with Stelling Properties, one of the UK’s leading property developers and modular construction specialists, to create high quality, energy efficient student studios. Every bedroom at Unilife is expertly built offsite in their factory before being lifted into place, ensuring precision, sustainability, and exceptional design.
We are also proud to involve our students in the process using a range of methods. Our students receive questionnaires, presentations and mood boards for our new projects. We also conduct focus groups and factory visits to ensure that our buildings are designed for the next generation of students.
For 13 years, Unilife has been a family run business redefining student living across the South of England.
Starting in Portsmouth, we set out to create more than just a place to stay, offering a premium living experience where students can thrive.
Today, we provide exceptional accommodation in Southampton, Winchester, and Guildford, staying true to our core value: putting people first in everything we do.
Our journey began in 2013 with the opening of High Street, our first boutique student accommodation in Southampton. Originally offering 53 studios, its prime location just seconds from local amenities made it a student favourite.
In 2023, High Street underwent a multi-million-pound extension, adding 47 brand-new studios and state-of-the-art communal spaces designed for the modern student lifestyle. With upgraded facilities, vibrant social areas, and premium amenities, High Street continues to set the gold standard for student living in Southampton.
Opened in September 2020, Sparkford House has set a new standard for student accommodation in Winchester, offering a boutique, community focused living experience. With 90 modern studios, modern communal areas and an unbeatable location just 10 seconds from the University of Winchester, it is the perfect place for students to call home.
Situated along the River Wey, Riverside House opened in September 2022 and transformed student accommodation in Guildford, setting a new benchmark for quality and comfort. Featuring 99 studios, state of the art communal spaces, and a prime location on Walnut Tree Close, it offers the ultimate student living experience.
Completed in 2023, the High Street extension has transformed student accommodation in Southampton, adding 47 brand-new studios and enhancing existing spaces to create a boutique style living experience with 100 luxury self contained studios in total. As part of a multi-million pound renovation, every studio has been refurbished and thoughtfully designed with spacious layouts, ample storage, and double beds, ensuring comfort and convenience for every student.
Steeped in history and culture, the building dates back to the mid 20th century, originally serving as a Bank of England hall from 1938 to 1986. Its iconic façade preserves the character of the past, while inside, it has been transformed into Southampton’s premier student accommodation, opening in September 2024.
With 122 luxury studios, state of the art communal facilities, and an unbeatable city centre location, Bargate House has quickly become the top choice for students. Earning the #1 spot on StudentCrowd, as voted by students themselves!
